Feeder apparatus



' Feb. 6, 1940.

A. H. JUNG FEEDER. APPARATUS Filed Oct. 17, 1959 29 Qty .3. S 5 fikaem- H- ub-M of molten metal within the "pot. feeders have generally included'afeeder chain operation;

' UNITED. stares: PATENT OFFICE FEEDER APPARATUS Albert H. Jung, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Unitedv American Metals Corporation, Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 17, 1939, Serial No. 299,893

' 5 Claims. (01. 22-80).

This invention relates to metal feeders and more particularly to an automatic device for feeding metal ingots to a melting pot. Prior to the instant invention, it has been customary to provide in association with line casting and typesetting machines an automatic feeder whereby type metal pigs or ingots are fed to a melting pot in accordance with the level Such prior having a hook to which may be attached an ingot to be fed to the bath. As the metal'in the bath' is used in the line casting or type setting machine, the lever therein is .lowered and the machine operated to lower the ingot into the bath until the metal again rises to a predeter: mined'level. When a complete ingot has been fed to the bath, some reversing mechanism is provided for bringing the feeder chain back into its original position wherebyanother ingot may be associated with the the feeder hook and the cycle repeated. Such arrangements have'been relatively complicated in their'mechanisms, ex-

"pensive to manufacture and hence their wide spread use in association with the line casting and type setting machine has never been effected.

' It is an object of the invention to provide an automatic type metal ingot feeder of relatively V; .few and simple parts whereby it-may he manufactured inexpensively. r

3 It is a further object of the invention 'to providc an automatic type metal ingot feeder which lends itself readily for use in connection with line casting or i type setting machines and to which ingots may be; readily associated'with a minimum of attention from theoperator.

Other objects and the nature. and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: Fig. l is a view in elevation of the feeder in of metal piping is supported by thebasesocket I I and reinforced by the brace 12 which also 35 which is secured to the relatively largefgear, 3t through the medium of a common shaft similar to the shaft.

maybe of metal piping and associated at one end'with the stand In by the connecting piece it, and at its opposite end with the base socket :M. j At th uppermost portion of the stand {Ill r l, and the rotatable shaft IE to which latter 1() shai t the sprocket wheel 20, see Fig. 2, issecured by suitable means. In a novelmanner, the endless feeder chain 2| is associated with the At spaced intervals about the feeder chain Zl,.

sprocket wheel 2!.) and hangs therefrom in a manner to form a catenary at its lower portion. "15

feeder hooks 22 are associated therewith and each may simply comprise a length of metalrod bent to form ahook 23 at one end and anattaching portion 24 at the opposite end which is. associated with the feederchain. The spacing of the feeder hooks E2 on the feeder chain 2 is slightly less than the length of theingot 25 in.

{order that the feeding offthe ingots ZEi to-"the melting not 26 will be continuous, the adjacent ends of successive ingots slightly overlapping.

To control the feeding of the ingots 25totl'1c melting pot 26 in a predetermined manner, a; float 2'5, see Fig. Larranged on the surface of l the molten liquid within the meltingpot1'2l3,."acts to prevent the brakelever 28 from being moved upwardly under the influence of the spring fi,

for the weight of the float 2'1 Wille'xert a pull; downwardly on the outer end 29 of the lever 28 through the float chain-38. Thedrivefrom thef sprocket wheel 20 to the brake. drum 3!: is efiected through .therotating' shaft. l9 which ,is secured to the sprocketwheel 20, the relatively large gear 32 which is also secured. totheirotatf ing shaft l9 and which drives the relatively small gear or pinion'fla which is associated withthe relatively large gear 33 through themedi'umoffl the common shaft 34 to which the gears 32a and 33 are secured. The relatively" large gear 33 in turn drives the relatively small gear or pinion The relatively large? gear 35 drives the relatively small gear or pinion 31 which is secured to the brake drumtl on the "periphery of which; the, brake lining 38, see Figs.

3 and 4, which is secured .tothe brake shoe 39,

acts to 'eifect the proper control.

The gearing described, acts to geardownthe 'pull on the feeder chain effected'by the weight j catedin the appended claims.

of the ingots being fed, whereby a relatively weak spring S may be utilized to produce the necessary braking action to stop the feeder when the float 21 is at a predetermined high lever and the flexible feeder chain sufficiently slack so as not to interfere with the actionof the spring S which may be adjusted by rotating the adjusting screw in a manner to raise or lower the spring retainer 6!. When the adjusting screw is turned in one direction the force exerted by the spring is lessened; and when the adjusting screw is turned in the opposite direction the force exerted by the spring is increased, whereby the desired braking action may be eifected by the apparatus disclosed.

The feeder box I! is suspended from the relatively short cross bar I5 by the loop fittings 42 which include lock screws 43. With this arrangement the entire feeder may be readily removed from the cross bar l5 by merely loosening the screws 43 and laterally slipping the feeder off the cross bar iii. The feederbox ll comprises two plates M and 45, respectively, secured in spaced relation by the bolts d6 within the tubes In operation ofthe device, the operator, from time to time, as is necessary inaccordance with the amount of work done on the line casting or type setting machine with which the feeder is associated, literally threads the end of an ingot 25 on a feeder hook 222. The weight of the ingot will be transmitted through the shaft l3, gears 32, 32a, 33, 35, 36, and 37 to the brake 3i, upon the circumferential surface of which, the brake lining 38 of the brake shoe 39 will functionally engage to effect cessation of movement of the feeder chain 3i when the float 2'! has risen to a predetermined maximum level and the flexible float chain 30 slackened. When the lever in the melting pot 26 is below a predetermined maxi-.

mum, .the flexible float chain 3% will be held taut under the influence of the weighted float 2'!v and the brake lever 29 pulled downwardly against the action of the spring S to hold the brake'lining 38 of the shoe 38 out of engagement with the circumferential surface of the brake From the above, it will be readily understood :that the automatic ingot feeder described coinprises a minimum of parts which are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, is rugged in construction and adapted to effect a more universal use: of automatic feeders in conjunction with 'line casting, type setting machines and the like.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in this device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indi- I' claim: 7 1. In a type metal ingot feeding and melting apparatus including a melting pot and a feeder mechanism supported above said melting pot, a

casingincluded in such mechanism, a rotatable shaft extending exteriorly of said casing, a sprocket wheel mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, regulating means cooperatively connected to said shaft and located within said casing and means for controlling said regulating means including a float adapted to float in the molten metal within said melting pot: the combination of an endless chain operatively engaging said sprocket wheel at its upper end and hanging substantially in the form of a catenary at its lower end, a plurality of ingot receiving hooks pivotally secured at one of their ends to the chain, the pivotal mountings of said hooks being spaced by a distance slightly less than the length of type metal ingots adapted to be fed by the apparatus to the melting pot, whereby feeding and melting of type metal may take place in accordance with the level within the melting pot and substantially continuously as required without inter ruption.

2. In a type metal feeding and melting apparatus including a melting pot and a feeder mechanism supported above said melting pot, a

casing included in said mechanism and a rotatable shaft extending exteriorly of said casing: the combination of a flexible endless conveyor cooperating with said shaft at its upper end and rotatable therewith, said conveyor hanging freely at its lower end generally in the form of a catenary, a plurality of ingot receiving hooks pivotally secured at one of their ends to the conveyor, the pivotal mountings of said hooks being spaced by a distance slightly less than the length of type metal ingots adapted to be fed by the apparatus to the melting pot, whereby feeding and melting of type metal may take place in accordance with the level within the melting pot and substantially continuously as required without interruption.

.3; In a type metal ingot feeding and melting apparatus including a melting pot and a feeder {mechanism supported above said melting pot, a

casing included in said mechanism, a rotatable shaft extending exteriorly of said casing, a sprocket wheel mounted on said shaft and rotatable therewith, regulating means cooperatively connected to said shaft and located within said casing and means for controlling said regulating means including a float adapted to float in the molten metal within said melting pot; the combination of an endless chain operatively engaging said sprocket wheel at its upper end and hanging substantially in the form of a cate-, nary' at its lower end, a plurality of ingot receiving hooks pivotally secured at one of their ends to the chain, whereby feeding and melting -of type metal may take place in accordance with the level within the melting pot and substantially continuously as required without interruption.

4. In a type metal ingot feeding apparatus adapted to be controlled by the level of molten metal within a melting pot: the combination of an endless flexible conveyor rotatable supported at its upper end directly above said melting pot, said conveyor having a loading side and a second side, a plurality of ingot receiving hooks secured to said conveyor in spaced relation in a position so that the hook or hooks on the said loading side are in ingot engaging position and when loaded will cause movement of said endles conveyor to bring hooks successively into ingot engaging position on the said loading side of said conveyor, whereby feeding and melting of the type metal may take place in accordance with I the level of molten metal within the melting pot and substantially continuously as required without interruption.

5. The structure recited in claim 4, said flex- 

